Signs of Life

“There is a time for everything, and a SEASON for every activity under the heavens”, Ecclesiastes 3.  I don’t like all seasons, specifically, the current season of winter.  I do appreciate the winter season in August when the mosquitos are biting and West Nile lurks under every blade of grass.  But now, I only wish it good-bye and good riddance.  

Each January I start off with a renewed sense of purpose for the year, only to quickly lose it to the grey skies, soggy ground, cold temperatures and four walls which confine me.  Since I can’t get outside I tend to look in the mirror a little more.  From boredom, I suppose.  Yikes!  Do I need a tan or what?  No amount of blush or lipstick will perk up this pale face.  There’s nothing more to do other than hunker down and wait for spring.  Or, wait!  Perhaps I can look for signs of life among all the dead things around me.

I found this last week on my usual morning trek to the post office.  A mushroom of all things!  Just being all bright and beautiful on a day that offered nothing more than a sky colored somewhere between black and white, and a ground scattered with the needles of pine trees that have long lost their verdant charm.

This week this smiling face said, “Hello! Aren’t you glad you took the time to plant me last October?”  Oh, yes I am, you delightful little thing!

As I begin to get my eyes off the dead things and look for signs of life, I see life all around me.  A stolen kiss and clasped hands by my newly married son and his bride.  Life.  Tears streaming down my daddy’s face because he is laughing so hard at the antics of his grandchildren. Life. A bedtime text from my husband who is working out of town that reads, “Sweet dreams, my love.” Life.  A phone call with a friend who breathes laughter over me.  Life.  Hands raised in worship at church on Sunday.  Hands that tell stories of hardships and trials, yet still thrust toward heaven giving praise to the One who gives and takes away. Life.

Sometimes my own heart grows grey and cold and lifeless.  I collapse under the weight of it and wonder if I will ever conquer the sins that seem to have no other purpose than to kill me.  And then, when I think I will never see the sun again...Life comes upon me.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  John 10:10

Just Do It

Another Christmas season and another year have come to a close, and now it’s time for my yearly ritual of reflection, self-examination, and goal setting.  Ahhh, this has to be my favorite time of the year!  I scheduled a goal setting retreat for Ted and I to discuss and make all of our plans for 2013.  I showed up with my agenda, recently read books highlighted with inspirational quotes, and my typed list of goals - short term, long term and BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals).  Ted showed up with a horrified look on his face that said, “Uh, was I supposed to come prepared?”  My response, “Would you walk into the woods on the first day of deer season with a rifle that had not been sighted in?  Of course not!  You would be prepared! So how could you show up on the first day of a new year, unprepared, without a goals list?”  We just stared at each other like we were looking at aliens from other planets.  We are living proof that you can be married for 25 years, be madly in love and still not completely get each other.

Each year I ask God to give me a “word” for that year.  The word comes to me in different ways, but generally its just something to which my spirit tunes in and I begin hearing the same “word” from different people, places, books, songs, etc.  When I get my word I begin studying it, meditating upon it and listening for it.  My word for 2013 is really a phrase - Just Do It.  

I have had the privilege of sitting under some mighty fine teachers of the Word.  I have been mentored and taught by some of the finest men and women of God.  I have participated in more bible studies than I can count.  I have read book after book on spiritual growth.  I have been challenged, corrected, trained and discipled.  I have more good stuff in me than a stocking on Christmas morning.  So what am I doing with it?

I can come up with excuse after excuse on why I’m not doing the things that I know I should be doing for the advancement of the Kingdom.  Fear.  Intimidation.  Lack of time.  Lack of resources.  Lack of talent or skill.  All excuses.  The Spirit of God is looking me square in the eye and saying, “No more excuses.  Just Do It!”  Just do what God is telling me to do.  Just write the note, make the phone call, pay the visit, give the money, spend the day.  I know WHAT to do, now its time to Just Do It.

There have been several challenges placed before me and a stirring is taking place in my spirit that is both exciting and terrifying.  Perhaps I’ll write about them as I experience them.  Until then I am just going to do this thing!   I will quit talking about the Kingdom living stuff and I will DO the Kingdom living stuff.  All that I need is already in me.  I just need to do it.

My favorite Alien and I wound up with a mighty big list of goals, dreams and desires, not just for 2013 but enough to keep us good and busy for another decade or so.  Unless we DO something with that list, its just another piece of paper full of great ideas gone to waste.  This is the year I’m going to push the envelope on my carefully scripted life.  I’m going to take some risks.  I’m going to Just Do It!  And for the record, hiking and tent camping were MY ideas!